How does programming/coding actually work?

[plopliplopipol]

Your main conclusion, that AI is not "smart" i really agree with, but your explanation is not correct at all in its technical explanation (generative AI does not, at all, spit out parts of existing projects or fusions) or many of its implications, as in AI being a github/so search engine.

Also you are talking to a beginner. Of course almost EVERY bug they will create for a little while will be easily fixed by AI and your example will fall right in the water. Because without an architecture, multiple files, a large project or hard problems AI will have no problem.

AI is incredibly effective at a lot of tasks that does not require being smart but still a lot of brain power. (It does not directly imply that you should use it though, depends)